It’s important to lead a healthy, strong, and active lifestyle. If you suffer from a chronic pain condition, this kind of lifestyle is not always within your reach. If the very thought of going out and exercising with your aches and pains leaves you feeling uncomfortable or nervous, know that there is a simpler solution to gaining the active lifestyle you desire: physical therapy.
If you’re dealing with discomfort and pain on the regular, or find yourself turning down opportunities to see friends or family for a fun, active outing, it’s time to contact a physical therapist in our office and schedule an appointment. Our therapists are dedicated to helping you achieve your goals and get you in the best shape possible, so you can take control of your life and do the things you love doing — without pain.
What is causing your pain?
Dealing with chronic pain is an intense battle that a person experiences every day, for a period of more than three months. The first step to combat your pain condition is to diagnose the source. Your first appointment with a physical therapist will involve identifying the cause of your pain.
This could be a simple process, such as, “I fell down a flight of stairs and I’ve felt pain in my leg ever since then,” or it could be a little bit of a longer one, such as explaining past injuries that never healed or complicated surgeries you’ve had done in the past that left you feeling weak.
In many cases, chronic pain can be elusive. The good news is that your physical therapist will conduct a thorough exam to pinpoint exactly where you are experiencing pain, how it impacts your posture and range of motion, how your body weight could be exacerbating pain, and a number of other tests. The outcomes of these tests will further assist them in creating the very best treatment plan for you.
How physical therapy can benefit you
Chronic pain can take over your life if you don’t take proactive measures to overcome it. You might start skipping out on social activities with your friends or co-workers, playing with your children or grandchildren, or other activities that used to be routine and fun for you.
Instead, you stay at home because the pain has become the first and last thing on your mind every day. You don’t have to live this way with the help of skilled physical therapists, though. Physical therapy is a safe, natural, and effective way to relieve acute and chronic pain conditions that lower a person’s quality of life.
Here are the main areas that your personalized physical therapy plan will be used to help you finally find relief from those daily aches and pains:
- Helping you get more exercise: Your physical therapist is a movement specialist, and they’ll be able to put together a regular exercise plan to help you maintain or grow your physical strength, lose weight if necessary, and improve your overall health. Exercise has also been clinically proven to be a great strategy for reducing aches and pains. Your physical therapist will recommend specific exercises for your age, gender, and body type. They will also teach you how to properly do the exercises to achieve your fitness goals!
- Giving you information on your condition: Your physical therapist will teach you about your condition, what your pain symptoms are caused by, and different methods to reduce pain. This can include improving your posture while sitting and standing as well as methods of getting a more comfortable night’s sleep. Once you are aware of the different ways that posture and movement can impact pain, you will be able to adjust your everyday life in ways that maximize the benefits of physical therapy. You’ll be surprised just how many things you were doing before that contributed to your pain!
- Performing manual therapy techniques: Physical therapists are specifically trained in soft tissue manipulation techniques that will ease tension, release built-up toxins in the body and relieve pain. Manual therapy, or “therapeutic massage” is used to manage pain for conditions that range from carpal tunnel syndrome to low back pain. Manual therapy techniques have also been clinically proven to reduce pain and increase your range of motion in your limbs and torso.
A customized treatment plan for your needs….
Every individual is unique and we believe that your physical therapy plan should be unique to you. Once your physical therapist knows where you’re experiencing pain when you feel the pain and the root cause of the pain, the real physical work can begin! A personalized physical therapy plan will be created for you based on your diagnosis, age, weight, diet, and overall physical condition.
By working with your physical therapist and being honest in the diagnosis phase, you’ll assist them with creating the best possible plan of attack for your situation.
Ready to live pain-free?
Your physical therapist will be with you every step of the way to provide motivation and coaching to overcome your pain, so rest assured that this is not a journey you’re taking solo! If you’re tired of experiencing debilitating chronic pain, call Spectrum Therapy Consultants today. It’s time to take back control of your life and kick the pain for good through physical therapy.
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